ABOUT

The history and culture of India come to life in this fun and interactive presentation of the Indian dance kathak. With live musicians and exciting visuals, dancer/storyteller, or kathakaar, Jin Won explores the multicultural history of India and kathak. This multi-dimensional performance will engage audiences of all ages while sharing the beauty that emerges from cultures interacting.

Comprised of seasoned teaching artists, Kathakaar can be coupled with assemblies, dance and/or music workshops, a signature food and art event, and more. Residencies can be customized based on the needs of the organization.

VIDEOS

South Korean artist Jin Won is an accomplished kathak dancer, and tabla player, and ambassador for Indian classical arts. Her love of Indian arts led to live in India for over 15 years training in tabla under Pandit Divyang Vakil, and in Kathak under Shrimati Shubha Desai in Ahmedabad, Gujarat before joining the Taalim School of Indian Music in the US as a faculty member and artist. Her unconventional journey has been the subject of a documentary by the Korean Broadcasting Service and serves as an inspiration to many. A strong, yet graceful performer, Won infuses her own creativity and training as a tabla artiste into her dance performances.

As a Kathak dancer, she has worked with leading choreographers, including Pandit Birju Maharaj, Shrimati Kumudini Lakhia, Shrimati Saswati Sen, and Maulik Shah & Ishira Parikh. She has performed in prestigious Indian dance festivals such as the Delhi Shrinagar Dance Festival, the Jaipur Udayshankar Festival, and the Kolkata Dance Festival. As a soloist, she has performed in major cities of India, USA, Canada, Europe and Korea.

Furthering her goal to spread Indian classical arts, she has authored a textbook on tabla, which is currently being translated into Korean.

PICTURES

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REVIEWS

exuberant dancer [who] is as a much a musician as a dancer. Ms. Won’s musicality transformed her dancing into something primal. The tension between wildness and control was a hallmark of Ms. Won.

Gia Kourlas, New York Times

She is an embodiment of pure rhythm, irresistible as she is versatile.

Robert Johnson, NJ Arts

With great presentation, she showed (compositions like) thaat and uthan and different parts of Kathak dance. With the rhythm of tabla, the tapping of her feet created magic.

Rajasthan Patrika

split-second precision, crisp spins, and clean footwork.

Jinal Shah, India.com

OTHER PERFORMANCES BY JIN WON

KATHAK SOLOInteractive presentation of kathak that showcases the dynamics and power of kathak in its most technical form as well as the expressive side.

Approximate length: 1 to 1.5 hourPerformance can be done with only live music or mix of live and recorded music. Minimum of 2 musicians.

PRADHANICAPradhanica explores the sonic and narrative possibilities of rhythm through dance and music. Dizzying spins, fast-paced footwork, immersive emotions, and dynamic drumming come together in this contemporary presentation of the Indian classical dance form of Kathak with live music ensemble of world percussion and Indian melody.